A Different Path
by Children of Darkness
Summary: A chance encounter when attending Oxford leads to two new friendships for Lily. So when the fates give her a chance to move her son to safety when she dies, who will he go to, and how will it influence Harry Potter's life? Plz R&R
1. Fateful Meetings

**A Different Path**

Disclaimer: We own nothing!

Chapter 1

Fateful Meeting.

Lily Evans, soon to be Potter ran down the path to the Oxford building where her first lecture was being held. She was about to be late. Had her fiancé, James Potter, not insisted on turning up and 'wishing her luck' then she wouldn't be running late. She just hoped she didn't miss too much. She ran into the lecture hall, and took an empty seat as soon as possible. The lecturer wasn't there yet. She let out a sigh of relief.

"Hello." A voice to the side of her said.

Lily looked to the side, and saw a man with light brown hair, and blue eyes. "Oh, hello. You weren't reserving this seat for anyone, were you?"

"Oh, no, you can sit here. I'm Charles Xavier." He held out his hand for her to shake.

"Lily. Lily Evans." She replied, taking his hand, and shaking it.

"You're lucky the lecturer is running late." Charles said.

"I guess I am. It's all James' fault mind."

"James?"

"My fiancée. He insisted on staying to wish me luck."

Charles laughed. Just in their lecturer walked in, and they stopped talking to concentrate on taking notes. The lecture went well, and soon they were leaving the hall, chatting again.

"My sister, Raven and I, are going out to a pub tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to join us." Charles asked Lily. "I'm sure we could help you get used to the area."

"Thank you. That would be nice. It'll do me good to get to know people outside my classmates from secondary school."

"Great to know. There's a pub on the street corner just down there, we'll be there at seven. Bring James if you want."

"Oh, he's already started heading back home by now, but I'll be there." Lily said, smiling.

Just then, a blonde walked up to them. "Hey Charles, who's this?" she inquired.

"Raven, this is Lily, Lily this is my sister, Raven."  
>"Nice to meet you Raven. Charles has already told me a lot about you."<p>

"Has he now? Are you studying the same subject as Charles?"

"Yes, I am. It was a tie between that and Literature."

"Those are two completely different subjects." Raven said.

"I'm varied. James, my fiancée told me to go for the one that was the most interesting and challenging to me."

Raven nodded.

"Lily will be joining us tonight, if you don't mind of course, Raven." Charles said. He obviously wanted to make sure she was ok with the plan.

"Fine by me." Raven said. "I could do with someone new to talk to. Charles told you the arrangements?"

"Yes, he has." Lily nodded, smiling.

"That's cool then. I'll see you tonight, I have to go, I have a shift to work. Bye."

"Bye." Lily said.

Raven hugged Charles, and then headed off. Charles smiled, and then said; "I have another lecture. I think it's time for me to go. See you tonight."

"See you tonight, Charles." Lily said.

The two went their separate ways. Lily smiled to herself, glad that she'd made two new friends.

* * *

><p>That night, Lily, Raven and Charles met up in the pub, and got to know each other better. They all got on like a house on fire, and quickly formed a strong friendship. Over her first year at Oxford, Lily decided that even though it would be a breach of the statue of secrecy, she would tell her new friends what she was.<p>

So, one day, when they were in her flat, she broke the bombshell.

"Guys, I haven't been completely… honest, with you." She said.

"What do you mean, Lils?" Raven asked, her head cocked to the side, curiously.

Lily took a deep breath, stood up, and closed the curtains. "I need to tell you something, and I need you to hear me out. Promise you won't say anything until I've finished."

Charles and Raven nodded. "Sure." Charles said. "Go ahead."

Lily pulled out her wand, twirled it in her hands for a moment, and then raised it. She charmed objects to start moving, and even turned a paperweight into a hamster.

"How do you do this?" Raven asked, awed, picking up the hamster.

"I'm a witch. As in a wand waving, potion brewing, broomstick riding witch." Lily said, stopping all the charms, but leaving the hamster. "I said that I went to a very selective boarding school, well I did. It was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There is a whole hidden community of us. I shouldn't even be telling you, but I trust you."

"Thank you for telling us." Raven said, smiling at her. "I believe you."

"So do I." Charles said. The two seemed to have a silent conversation for a moment. "Lily, we haven't been completely honest with you, either. We're different too, but not in the same way you are."

"Oh, how are you different?" Lily asked.

"I'm a shape shifter." Raven said. "This isn't even what I look like."

"What do you look like?" Lily asked.

Raven bit her lip, but still changed, showing her friend what she really looked like. Blue, with red hair and yellow eyes. Lily smiled at her. "Beautiful." She said.

"You don't think it's freaky?" Raven asked.

Lily shook her head, and held up her hand. "Freak and proud." She laughed. "I can hardly judge, can I? I mean, not only am I part of a secret magical society, but I have a friend who transforms and howls at the moon every full moon."

"You know a werewolf?" Charles asked.

"Yeah. You've met Remus. His nickname is Moony for a reason. So, Charles, what can you do?"

"I'm a Telepath." Charles answered. _Need more of a demo, Lils?_

Lily threw back her head and laughed. "Wonderful!" She said.

"So, tell us about witches and wizards." Raven said, bouncing in her seat.

"The Wizarding World is… amazing. It's so strange. Technology doesn't work there, because of all the magic, but we more than make up for it in some ways. It has its flaws, just like any society, but it also has its good points. Family first is a motto that many hold close to their hearts. Our main shopping area, Diagon Alley is so bright, and crowded, it's overwhelming on your first trip there. Then there are the magical creatures. The goblins, the fairies, the dragons and Unicorns, the Centaurs, all of them. British Witches and Wizards are trained at Hogwarts. The school years go from first year to seventh. The school is actually a castle. The staircases move, so do the paintings, but they also talk too. There's a forest on the grounds where many beautiful and or deadly magical creatures reside. I've loved it ever since I stepped foot in that world at the age of eleven, after receiving my Hogwarts letter. That's another thing, the post is delivered via owls, and Merlin actually existed."

"No way." Charles said.

"Yeah." Lily grinned. "I kept up with my muggle education during the summer and Christmas holidays. That's how I managed to come here. Hogwarts doesn't keep up with the muggle curriculum."

"Muggle?" Charles asked.

"Non magic folk." Lily explained. "I'm Muggleborn. There are Pure bloods, half bloods, muggleborns and squibs. Pure bloods are wizards that don't have a drop of muggle blood in them. Half bloods are born to one muggle or muggleborn parent and one pureblood parent. Muggleborns are born to non magical parents, and squibs are born to purebloods but with no magical powers."

"Is that where the prejudice's come from?" Raven asked.

"Yes. The Pure bloods think they are the best, and others are below them. Well, not all. James and his family don't. Sirius rebelled against his family. He doesn't believe the pure blood nonsense, and neither does Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts, and greatest Wizard of our age. But some Pure bloods believe muggle borns are scum, and don't deserve to know magic. They even call us 'Mudbloods'. It's a term that means dirty blood. Anyone calls me that ends up being hexed to oblivion." Lily said. "Luscious Malfoy never did quite get over that one curse."

"Good for you." Raven said.

Lily conjured a cage, and Raven placed the hamster into a cage. Lily got thoroughly drilled that evening. After that night, their friendship only got stronger.

* * *

><p>Halfway through Charles' and Lily's second year, Lily got a letter she hadn't wanted to get. She was needed to fight. She told Raven and Charles over lunch, leaving out the fighting on the front line thing. She hadn't told them about the war. She couldn't bring herself to.<p>

"I've been called back home." Lily said. "Things are starting to happen, and I need to help."

"Will you come visit, and write?" Raven asked her friend.

"I'll try. I'll be able to write, and I'll visit as much as I can. I promise." Lily said.

"I'm glad we managed to get to know each other, Lily. You'll always have someone to come to with us." Charles said.

"Thank you. I'm sorry I couldn't finish my degree. Good luck with yours. And I want nothing less than becoming a Professor from you, Charles."

"I'll do my best." Charles said.

Lily hugged Raven. "You are beautiful the way you are. Remember that."

"I will. See you soon."

"Yeah."

Lily then hugged Charles, and stood. "Expect an invite to my wedding."

"We will. Bye Lils." Raven said, smiling.

"Goodbye Lily."

"Bye guys." Lily said. With that, Lily left. Her things were already packed, shrunk, and in her pockets. She walked to a deserted alley, and disapparated to Potter Manor.

Lily managed to keep in touch with Raven and Charles, and they managed to come to the wedding. Lily, the Marauders and James' parents told people that they were Lily's cousins from America who she was particularly close too, so the Ministry wouldn't see it as a breach of the statue of secrecy.

Charles and Raven enjoyed their first outing into the magical world, and had two more before they lost contact with Lily, not to hear from her, until one very fateful day, when she would shock them both.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Please let us know what you think. The next chapter is going to be sad, this is more of a prologue than a chapter, really. **


	2. Goodbye

Disclaimer: We own nothing!

Chapter 2

Goodbye.

"Lily, take Harry and run! It's him! Go! I'll hold him off!" James said, handing their son to his wife.

Lily fled upstairs, to Harry's nursery. As she shut the door behind her, she only then noticed her lack of a wand. It was in the kitchen, downstairs. There was a bang, and a cold high laugh. Voldemort was in the house. He'd come for her Harry. Her little baby boy.

Lily placed Harry in his crib, and knelt down, so she could look at his face that to her, was the most beautiful thing in the world. He'd be a handsome boy when he was older.

"Mummy loves you, and daddy loves you. Stay strong sweet heart, be brave." Lily stood, and turned to the door as it opened, and Lord Voldemort entered. James was dead. She knew it.

"Please." Lily begged. "Have mercy."

"Step aside, silly girl, step aside."

"Not Harry, please not Harry. Take me instead. Please!"

Voldemort raised his wand, his red eyes flashed. "Avada Kedavra." There was a flash of green, and then nothing.

Lily woke up, surrounded by white; she opened her eyes, to see a beautiful woman, who seemed to be forever changing. Lily stood up. "I'm dead, aren't I?" Lily asked.

"Yes child, you are, but you have one more job to do, before you move on. It won't take long."

"What is it?" Lily asked. "Is Harry alright?"

"Your job has everything to do with your son." The woman said. "He survived. The first ever to survive the Killing Curse. Because of your Sacrifice, he survived. You could have stepped aside. But you didn't. That saved him. But he has been sent to your sister. He has a great destiny ahead of him. To fulfil it, he must grow up loved. Especially if he is to reach his full potential. You can go back, just for a short while, to place him with those who will care for him, and to explain everything. I suggest outside the wizarding world. He will be great, and of both wizard and mutant. He needs to be looked after by those who will understand. Do you accept?"

"For my son, I accept." Lily said. There was a flash, and when her vision cleared, she was standing in the passage of number four Privet Drive. She new instinctively where her son was. She went to the cupboard under the stairs, and retrieved her little baby boy. He was so tiny. Lily would do anything for him. She knew where she would take him. To Charles and Raven.

There was another flash, and she was standing in a living room which was empty. She heard voices coming towards her, and the door opened. Several people entered. She only recognised Charles and Raven.

"Lily!" Raven said, smiling. "How did you get here? How did you find us? Where did you go? You stopped writing."

"I know. I had no choice. I'm sorry for that. But I need to talk to you."

"Then take a seat. It's good to see you, Lily." Charles said.

"You too." Lily said, knowing full well that this would be the last conversation they would have. The others behind Charles and Raven looked confused.

"Lily's different. Not like us, but in her own way." Charles explained.

"Eric Lencherr." One man introduced.

"Alex, or Havoc." Another said.

"Moira." A woman said.

"Hank."

"Banshee."

"Lily. I'm afraid, this isn't a good, catch up kind of visit." Lily said, looking down at Harry, who'd woken up, and started to murmur.

"Shh, Harry, mummy's here now. Shh." She said.

"He's your son?" Charles asked.

"Yeah. He's a year old. His birthday is on the thirty first of July. His name is Harry James Potter."

"Congratulations." Raven said, smiling.

"I never told you why I was called back, did I?" Lily asked.

"No, you were rather vague." Charles said.

"Can I trust them?" Lily asked, looking at the others.

"You can, they are like Raven and I. Except Moira. But you can trust her too."

"There was a war in the Wizarding world."

Eric Lencherr snorted. "Wizarding world?"

"Did I stutter? I'm a witch. Anyway, I was called back to fight. Some of the Pureblood's who believed in that supremacy crap rallied together behind a very dark wizard. The darkest to ever live. Lord Voldemort. They began a campaign of terror. But then, a Prophecy was told. The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born as the Seventh Month dies. Born to those who have thrice defied him. He shall have a power that the Dark Lord Knows not, and the Dark Lord shall mark him as his equal. The prophecy could have meant two boys. My Harry, or another. James and I went into hiding. The house we lived in was put under a charm that allowed no one but the secret keeper to know where it was. The secret keeper was the only one who could tell people. James and I never believed that Peter would betray us." I sobbed. "But he did. He told Voldemort where to find us. James knew when he crossed the property line. He told me to take Harry and run. That he'd hold him off. Voldemort killed him." Lily started to sob uncontrollably. Charles and Raven moved to sit on either side of her. They rubbed her back, reassuringly.

"Shh Lils, it'll be fine. You and Harry are safe here. He can't reach you here." Charles said.

"That's not the end of it." Lily said. "I took Harry to the nursery, but I didn't have my wand. I placed Harry in his crib. I knew I was trapped. It was the end for me. But I might be able to protect my son. When Voldemort came, he told me to step aside. I begged him for mercy. To take me instead. But he wouldn't listen. He pointed his wand at me."

"How did you get away?" Raven asked.

"I didn't."

"Of course you did." Raven said. "You're sitting right here."

"I'm on a sort of, last job thing. Before I move on, and join James." Lily said. "He hit me with the killing curse. And then he tried to kill Harry. Because of my sacrifice, the curse rebounded on Voldemort. But he's not gone. Not truly. He'll be back. And then, my little baby boy will be at the top of his to kill list." Lily sobbed. "And I won't be there to protect him."

"Yes, you will." Charles said, "Don't talk like that."

"I'm already dead Charles. There is nothing that can be done. I'll never be there for Harry. I'll never see him off at platform and three quarters for his first year at school. He'll never come to me or James for advice. I'll never be able to scold him for not working properly at school. All the things a mother should do, I won't. I will never be there as he grows into a strong and handsome young man." The tears were falling from Lily's eyes freely now.

"Lily, I think that curse just jumbled your brain a bit." Raven said.

"Lily." A voice said.

Everyone looked, to see a ghost of a woman, standing before the television.

"Mum?" Lily asked.

She nodded. "It's time, Lily."

"Please, just one year. So he has some memories of me."

"I'm sorry Lily. The fates can give you no more time. Your job has been done." Lily's mother said.

Lily stood, and Raven and Charles stood with her. Lily turned to face her to friends. "Look after him. Please." Lily begged, holding Harry out. Charles took the small child, shock. Lily bent down, and kissed Harry on his forehead, on the scar. "I love you Harry, I will always be watching over you. And daddy loves you too. We'll be with you, in your heart. Always. Tell him. Make sure he knows us."

"We will." Raven said, crying.

"Mummy never wanted to leave you Harry. My precious, darling boy. If I could I'd stay with you. But you're safe now, here. I love you Harry." Lily sobbed as she stepped away, to stand by her mother.

Everyone watched, as a crying Lily started to become transparent. "Tell him we love him. That we didn't want to leave. That we'd give anything to be the ones to raise him." Lily sobbed. Giving up her son was tearing her heart to shreads.

"We will." Charles said, as tears escaped his eyes.

"Thank you. For being the best friends a girl could have. Raven, your true self truly is beutiful. Any guy would be lucky to have you. He'll be a great person someday. Both a wizard and a mutant. Take care of him. Take care of my baby." Lily said. "Goodbye." She sobbed once more, and then she and her mother vanished, Leaving several stunned people, and two sobbing mutants, one of which clutched tightly to the saviour of the wizarding world.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Alright, hands up, who cried? I know I cried while typing it. Please review!**


	3. New Student

Disclaimer: We own nothing!

Chapter 3

New Student

Harry was raised at the mansion by both Charles and Raven. Even though Raven had joined what Magneto had dubbed the Brotherhood of Mutants, she was still frequently at Xavier's School for gifted youngsters, spending time with Harry. When she was there, the differences between the X-Men and the Brotherhood were put aside for Harry. He had latched onto all the first members of the X-Men, barring Magneto as he hadn't been round long enough for Harry to bond to him. As Harry grew, they soon realised that Harry had formed such a bond with them that certain aspects of theirs rubbed of on him. Harry had the mutation of Charles, Raven (bar the appearance), Havok and Banshee. He also had a very high intellect, like Hank. At the age of ten he was able to hold quite a conversation with the blue furred mutant. It was something to see.

As the school year before Harry turned eleven came round, he became very excited. In a year's time, he would be attending the school that his parents had been students at. Harry knew he was a wizard as well as a mutant.

Uncle Charles and Aunt Raven had told him everything they could about his parents. How Lily was a book worm, and incredibly talented at charms, and his father favoured transfiguration. They had told him all the stories they had of their time at oxford with Lily, and everything that she had told them about the wizarding world, minus the prophecy.

When he was eight, he'd asked who the bad man that took his parents away was, and Charles and Raven felt that if he was old enough to ask, then he was old enough to know. They told him about Voldemort, and that he had attacked Lily and James' home because they had stood up to him. But Lily's sacrifice for Harry allowed the killing curse that was meant for Harry to rebound.

Harry knew that he was going to Hogwarts. Even when he found out about other schools in America, he wanted to go to Hogwarts. He wanted to go to the same school his parents had. His head snapped up from the book he was currently reading when he heard the thoughts of two new people in the mansion. They were a mother and daughter. The mother was thinking about how her daughter, Melody, needed to learn to control her mutant powers before she went to Hogwarts next year, and Melody was thinking about some dragon reserve in Romania. He marked his page, and put the book down on the desk in his room. He headed downstairs to see his Uncle Charles greeting them.

"Welcome to Xaviers school for gifted youngsters." He said. "I'm Professor Charles Xavier."

"Thank you for agreeing to see us at such short notice, Professor. I'm Alexia Sunshine, and this is my daughter Melody. She's recently developed several new talents, and I didn't know where else to go."

"It seems Melody wouldn't mind going to see the dragons in Romania." Harry said, leaning on the banister.

Melody blushed. "I have an overactive imagination." She muttered.

"Harry, what have I told you about other peoples privacy?" Charles asked.

"To respect it. Sorry. But, I just picked up on the words Hogwarts, Romania and dragons. It was easy enough to put two and two together for me. Melody and I are going to the same school next year."

"There you go Melody, it won't be all bad, you'll know someone there when you go." Alexia told her daughter.

Harry surveyed the two. Melody was a younger version of her mother, just with dark, almost black eyes. She had long blonde hair, and was just a bit shorter than Harry. Harry smiled at her, and she smiled back at him.

"For a while there I thought that I was going to be completely alone like all the muggle borns." Melody said.

"Me too." Harry said, shrugging. "I'd better get back to my book. I have another chapter to read. See you around."

"See you around Harry." Melody said.

Harry wandered back upstairs, and Charles smiled at the mother and daughter duo. "Shall we go into my office?" he asked.

Harry had a good feeling about Melody. They were going to be great friends. Now, all he needed to do was finish the chapter, and then he'd be free to go prank Scott. If it was one thing he had inherited from his father, it was his love for pranks.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry it's short, and there was a large time skip, but the plot line had to be hurried along.**


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